Retinal pathological angiogenesis (PA) is a common hallmark in proliferative retinopathies, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The mechanisms underlying PA is complex and incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the role of extracellular matrix (ECM) protein biglycan (BGN) in PA using an oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) mouse model, along with hypoxia (1% O) conditions for incubating pericytes and endothelial cells in vitro. We found a significant upregulation of Bgn in the retinas of OIR mice. Intravitreal injection of Bgn-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) in OIR mice at postnatal day 12 (P12) effectively curbed retinal PA at P17. Using cultured cells, we found that BGN expression in pericytes was highly sensitive to hypoxic stimulation compared to endothelial cells. We further showed that BGN stimulated retinal PA via the upregulation of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12). Inhibition of the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis effectively diminished PA in OIR mouse. In conclusion, our study demonstrated the stimulatory role of BGN in retinal PA, identified the link between BGN and CXCL12 expression, and further highlighted the role of pericytes in retinal PA.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1096/fj.202401903R | DOI Listing |
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11701870 | PMC |
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) are ocular disorders in which a loss of retinal vasculature leads to ischemia followed by a compensatory neovascularization response. In mice, this is modeled using oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR), whereby neonatal animals are transiently housed under hyperoxic conditions that result in central retina vessel regression and subsequent neovascularization. Using endothelial cell (EC)-specific gene deletion, we found that loss of two ETS-family transcription factors, ERG and FLI1, led to regression of OIR-induced neovascular vessels but failed to improve visual function, suggesting that relevant retinal damage occurs prior to and independently of neovascularization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Ophthalmol
January 2025
School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
Intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) medications are the primary treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). However, frequent administrations pose significant burdens on patients, healthcare providers, and systems. The treat-and-extend (T&E) regimen, which adjusts treatment intervals based on patient response, aims to reduce injection frequency while maintaining disease control.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActa Neuropathol Commun
January 2025
Ophthalmology, Novartis Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Neurodegeneration in glaucoma patients is clinically identified through longitudinal assessment of structure-function changes, including intraocular pressure, cup-to-disc ratios from fundus images, and optical coherence tomography imaging of the retinal nerve fiber layer. Use of human post-mortem ocular tissue for basic research is rising in the glaucoma field, yet there are challenges in assessing disease stage and severity, since tissue donations with informed consent are often unaccompanied by detailed pre-mortem clinical information. Further, the interpretation of disease severity based solely on anatomical and morphological assessments by histology can be affected by differences in death-to-preservation time and tissue processing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Ophthalmol
January 2025
Poostchi Ophthalmology Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Background: One of the significant challenges that can arise during cataract surgery is the occurrence of posterior capsule rupture (PCR) and vitreous loss. It may result in different complications including cystoid macular edema, endophthalmitis, glaucoma, and considerably retinal detachment which consequently contributes to poor functional outcomes.
Methods: This study was a prospective double blinded randomized clinical trial including 42 patients with previous complicated cataract surgery including posterior capsular rupture and consequently vitreous loss that anterior vitrectomy was done for them.
Sci Rep
January 2025
Department of Ophthalmology, Kim's Eye Hospital, #156 Youngdeungpo-dong 4ga, Youngdeungpo-gu, 150-034, Seoul, South Korea.
To evaluate the outcomes and predictive factors for fluid resolution following three loading injections of faricimab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration(AMD). This retrospective study included patients diagnosed with treatment-naïve neovascular AMD who received three monthly injections of faricimab. Changes in best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA) and central retinal thickness(CRT) following treatment were evaluated.
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